THE VERY THOUGHT OF YOU (The Thorntons #2)

Chapter 1-2

Megan didn’t sleep that night. She dreamed of Caleb, and she couldn’t get the heated image out of her brain no matter how hard she tried. Tired and grumpy, she got to the bakery an hour later than usual. She yawned as she approached the store. Then she stopped in her tracks when she saw the shattered glass covering the pavement.

She rushed toward the storefront. Gasping, she saw that one of the windows had been broken, and stepping over the broken glass carefully so she could unlock the front door, she took in the damage.

Chairs and tables had been scattered, while the cash register had been ransacked for cash. A few baked goods that had been left in the case over night had been tossed, and frosting and crumbs and sugar covered the floor and counters.

Her heart beating fast, Megan made her way to the back. The kitchen was worse off then the bakery: bags of flour and sugar had been dumped, while cartons of eggs had been smashed. She stood there and drank it all in, barely able to comprehend what she was seeing.

The safe. Had they found the safe?

She rushed to the tiny office adjacent to the kitchen, unlocking the door with shaking fingers. She had always instructed Jubilee to keep any remaining cash in the safe when she closed up. She rushed inside to see the safe on its side and the back of it dented. After multiple tries to open it—her hands were shaking too badly to input the numbers correctly—she saw a stack of cash, checks and receipts inside.

She let out a breath of relief. Although there wasn't a ton of cash inside, it would’ve been a difficult loss to recoup at any rate. Megan closed the door of the safe and stood up, only to grab at the desk to steady herself. Her body wasn’t working like it should. She realized, only slightly aware of herself, that she was probably in shock.

She barely remembered calling the cops. She’d known there was a good chance that Caleb would show up, and as she sat outside, staring at the rainbow of shattered glass on the pavement, she almost wished he would be the one on duty. He’d distract her. He’d annoy her so much that she wouldn’t think about how someone had deliberately come inside her store and ripped it apart like some human tornado.

Tears threatened, hot and humiliating. She choked back a sob. She couldn’t break down right now. Not before she could get home and be alone in her grief.

She considered calling Sara, but what could her sister do? Besides, Sara had done enough for Megan throughout her life. She’d practically raised her when their mother Ruth had been deep in her alcoholism, and Megan had tried not to rely on Sara so much. She could take care of herself.

She heard the sirens, and then she heard a voice asking, “Megan? Are you all right?”

Looking up, she gazed into the green eyes of Caleb Thornton. For the first time, she felt only relief at seeing him.